Electrical conductor terminal



Nov. 22, 1927.

J. E. PATTEN ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR TERMINAL Filed 001;. 26- 1922 iNVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 22, 1927.

JOSEPH E. IPATTEN, OF SGHENEGTADY, NEW YORK.

ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR TERMINAL.

'Application filed October 2e, 1922. Serial No. 596,962.

This invention relates to terminals for electrical conductors and more particularly to terminals for use on stranded insulated.

one of its edges extends for a short distance conductors.

This invention has for its general object an improved construction of terminal parts which is particularly adapted to modern manufacturing processes.

More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide a terminal construction for stranded conductors which is both mechanically strong and readily attached, and which avoids the use of specially formed parts and requires no solder.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combinatlon of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims. V

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 shows a pair of complementary terminals constructed in accordance with-the practice of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view, part being cut away, illustrating the manner in which the strands distribute themselves in minal on the conductor; 7

Fig. 3 is a similar view showingthe conductor and terminal part about to be asseribled in accordance with this invention; an

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the terminal in place on the conductor, showing the disposition of the conductor Wires therein.

Referring now to the drawing, a relatively stiff tube 1 of electrically conductive material, preferably a metal such as copper, is

provided and is adapted to be attached to a.

conductor 2 which is of the stranded type. Conductor 2 as shown has insulation material 3 to protect it. The end of the conductor 2' where the terminal tube 1 is to be applied is stripped of insulation, the stripping being preferably sodone that insulation 3 will taper slightly toward the bared strands 5 the .ter- I of conductor 2 as shown at 4. These bared strands are then ready to be inserted within tube 1, the tube being sufficiently long so that over the cylindrical surface of insulation 3 beyond the tapered portion 4. q

The tube 1 when thus in place has its rear edge 6 constricted and drawn down on to the insulation 3 gripping it tightly to pre vent removal of. the tube therefrom. It is preferable that tube 1 beof such a diameter as to fit closely about the insulation 3 of the conductor. The other end of tube 1 is flattened on the bared strand 5 of conductor 2, and as a result of the pressure applied, will cause the strands within it to spread or.

flare themselves out in. order to provide a large contact surface as indicated at 7 between the t-woi The insulation within the terminal also forms a cushion as well as a re-enforcement for the bared strands with the result that they are not subjected to sharp bending strains tending to break them. The

bared stranded ends 5 of conductor 2 which protrude beyond front edge, if any, may then be cut olf flush with the end of the tube, but if preferred they may be left protrudlng.

The'contact surface thus provided at 7 may be shaped to any desired form or outline that shown in the drawing being lain and provided with an aperture 8 to adm1t a bolt\or suitable connecting lug *by means of which the terminal may be attached to electrical apparatus or another conductor of an electrical circuit.

In practice the frictional contact provided between the flared strands 5 of the conductor and the flattened end of tube 1 is more than ample and is sufiiciently good for all ordinary electrical purposes.

When this form of terminal issued in connection with a complementary terminal construction as shown at 9 in Fig. 1, it will be fastened normally to its complement by means of a bolt 10 thereby grippin both strands and tube; consequently it. is su stantially impossible .for the conductor strands tobe'pulled from the terminal by ordinary stresses to which conductors of this type are subjected. The terminal construction at 9, as shown in Fig. 1, is similar to that shown in Fig. 2, except that the 'tubeis split by cut ting for a short distance along thetwo ed es of the flattened tube. Thesides of the tu thus split are then slightly separated in order to permit the introduction of a terminal constructed as shown in Fig. 2.

The terminal above described has the advantages of being very easily and cheaply manufactured and attached, and is very durable. The operation heretofore practiced when making terminals of separately fastening the insulation is now rendered unnecessary, since the constricted tube holds the insulation fabric more firmly and permanently than the binding formerly resorted to. The portion of the conductor adjacent the terminal is, in addition, held more firmly against being-bent which in the ordinary form of terminal often resulted in the strands being severed at this point. The attachment of a terminal to the conductor in accordance with this invention provides good contact between the parts unassisted by any other agency. The completed terminal is thus manufactured without solder involving substantially a minimum of manufacturing operations with relatively small expense; whereas in the case of soldered terminals the cost of soldering is often the greatest item in the cost of the terminals.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departin from the scope thereof, it is intended that a l matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A terminal for stranded insulated conductors having a portion of the insulation removed from the end thereof. which comprises a relatively stifi seamless conducting of said tube snugly enveloping the end portion of said insulation.

2. A terminal for stranded insulated conductors having a portion of the insulation removed from the end thereof, which comprises 'a relatively stiff seamless conducting tube of uniform diameter adapted to fit snugly over said insulation, and constricted upon the bared strands to form a flattened portion engaging frictionally with substantially all of the strands, said strands being fanned out and substantially uniformly distributed across the entire width of said flattened portion, and provided with an aperture cut therethrough and through said strands and arranged for coupling urposes; the unconstricted'portion of said tu e snu 1y enveloping the end portion of said insu 9.- tion.

3. A terminal structure for electrical conductors, which comprises a stranded conductor having bared ends, and a relatively stiff seamless straight conducting tube of uniform diameter substantially greater than that of said stranded conductor; said tube being tightly constricted u on the strands of said conductor to engage rictionally with substantially all of the strands, whereby a s read-flattened, substantially uniformly t ck terminal end portion is formed on said tube in which the strands are evenly distributed.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JOSEPH E. PATTEN. 

